Interpretive-Dance Tutorial

For our Monday morning weekly work meeting, (the one I mentioned earlier that is supposed to improve job satisfaction and performace), we have been asked to memorize a poem called Will. It's a smart poem and maybe I'll share it sometime - it has all of the cheesy analogies you can think of... sea-seeking rivers and ascending orbs of day... you get the picture. Last Friday when I asked the ladies if they're going to memorize the poem over the weekend, they said, "no, but watch Emily's interpretive dance for it." (Emily was a theater and dance major in some college in New York, she's quite the dramatic one but we love her). I watched as Emily got a running start, then leaped into the air with arms stretched out at her sides, and landed with a thud on one foot while bowing and pointing her nose like a hound who's just found a scent. So graceful.

Of course after Emily's inspirational display, we couldn't help but share our own interpretive dances, a few of which I am going to teach you right now.

1. The Sprinkler. Place your right hand on the back of your neck and stick your elbow out. Lift your left arm out in front of you, and move both arms toward each other at the same time, then away from each other. Perform this motion repeatedly while moving your body with the beat of the music.

2. The lawnmower. Make a fist with both of your hands. Stretch arms out in front of you in a downward slant. Now shake your hips and move as though you were pushing a lawnmower, and pull upward with your right hand repeatedly as if you were pulling the starter on the mower.

3. The Car. This is one of the most adverse interpretive dance moves, as you can do nearly anything you want with it. (Think "wheels on the bus", except club-style). Once such move is to hold your hands up in front of you palms facing away. Now flick your right wrist. Now flick your left wrist. Repeat a few times. (that's honking the horn.)

4. The something-or-other. I really just made that name up because I don't know what this one's called. Place your right hand on the back of your neck again, and stick your elbow out. Staying upright, bend your left knee and bring your left foot up behind you so your left ankle rests comfortably in your left hand - now you are balancing on your right foot. Bring your right elbow and your left knee toward each other, then away. Repeat several times, if your stomach can take it. (Similar to doing crunches.)

So. Now I have further dorkified what could not be any dorkier, but there you go. I know there are more I just can't think of them. Happy dancing!


(I stole this pic from Kenna's blog. Cute huh.)